Hi Everyone!

I've been practicing on NKB, both with yeast and with sourdough starter.  I've had a couple of successes, but I'm just not satisfied with the crust....it is SO chewy I can hardly bite a piece off, and it actually hurts my teeth to chew it!  I've read what others said, and I think it's supposed to be this way, but I just don't like it.  It's hard to cut, also.

So, how do I make the crust not so chewy, but still a little crunchy?  I did a search and didn't find much, but I did find a thread where some suggested not leaving the lid on as long as recommended in the NKB recipes.  Would this be the solution?  Anything else anyone has to suggest, I will appreciate.  Thanks, this site is great!